Adapting
by acaudill0068
Summary: Rachel's 28 and still living in her hometown, Apple Tree. Puck comes back into her life after not seeing each other for almost ten years when she's about to marry Finn.  Completely AU.  Rated M.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.

A/N: Another Puckleberry fic that started out as a short story for my Eng 101 class and has morphed into this. Hope you guys enjoy this. Hopefully this isn't too OOC.

* * *

"I was thinking about this for the centerpieces." Rachel showed the picture to Finn.

"It's nice Rachel, honey." Finn agreed turning the page of the newspaper.

"You didn't even look." Rachel pouted.

"Yes I did. The flowers are red."

"They're yellow!" Rachel stood up and started to gather all the wedding plans back into the folder.

"Honey?" Finn asked.

"YOU said we didn't need a wedding planner. YOU said we could make the arrangements together but every time I ask you anything you say you don't care." Rachel said angrily. "My God Finn, you've spent more time on your stupid fantasy football than to our wedding."

"Sshh." Finn tried to calm down Rachel by pulling her to him but all he did was crush her nose against his chest. "We can get a wedding planner."

"I don't need a wedding planner." Rachel ground her teeth together. "I need your opinions."

"We'll talk about this later."

"When? You work all day and don't get home until after I'm asleep. The only time we have to talk is before you leave for work." Rachel was getting angry and she was trying to remember the last time she was this angry.

Junior year in college. Her boyfriend, Jesse, was cheating on her and she caught him with some girl in his dorm room. Jesse landed in the hospital with a broken nose and a black eye, with a huge gash along his forehead from Rachel throwing a book at his head as he struggled to pull his pants up.

"I'll get off early." Finn smiled kissing her forehead and bringing her out of her own head. "We'll talk then. Promise."

_Right. Promise._ Rachel thought.

"I love you." Rachel called after Finn.

"Love you too." He said walking out of the front door.

Rachel sighed cleaning the table of the breakfast dishes and when she was done she leaned back against the counter to look around the house. It was an old house but it was still nice. She had just painted all the walls so it didn't look so musty. The kitchen was big and Rachel's favorite room. She loved cooking. It helped to relieve her stress and calm her down. She remembered when she found out a friend had died. She cooked for three straight days.

The living room was right through a big doorway. It was a pretty big room. There was a table against the wall behind a couch and two recliners. The only TV in the house sat directly across from the couch. Beside the TV was a shelf lined with DVD's and VCR tapes.

Rachel's eyes traveled down the hallway. She knew that the first door on the left opened up to a bathroom and across from that was a bedroom. There were five more bedrooms and three more bathrooms upstairs.

The house had been her parents for over fifty years until they moved into a small apartment and Rachel took over the house. Rachel came from a large family. She was the youngest of seven kids. She had four brothers and two sisters. First Rachel's parents, Jim and Susie, had twins John and Henry, 37, then Tiffany, 36, twins Roxie and Anthony, 33, Blaine, 30, and then Rachel, 28.

John and Henry joined the army in 1991 but never made it back home. They died while overseas when they were 18. Tiffany became a veterinarian and moved to Tennessee. Roxie was a singer and lived with her husband, Tom, in Virginia. Anthony lived in Florida working for NASA. Blaine was a grade-school teacher living about an hour away from Rachel and their parents. Rachel was an aspiring singer, still living in the same town she grew up in; Apple Tree, population: 5,731 and dropping.

Apple Tree was a dinky town smack dab in the middle of Alabama. Rachel was the only one that never made it out of Apple Tree. She went away to college but then her parents got sick so she had moved back home to care for them. She got them a nice apartment a few miles away with a live in nurse. The house was paid for and Rachel couldn't bear to sell it so after her and Finn got engaged they moved in.

Finn didn't care for Apple Tree but when Rachel refused to move away from her parents he caved and agreed to stay. He was an accountant, and had met Rachel when they were both going to NYU.

Rachel sighed and walked upstairs to make their bed. She was almost done cleaning up the already clean house when someone rang the doorbell downstairs. Who was visiting her? She realized whoever it was wasn't ringing the doorbell at the front door. Whoever it was had his finger down pressed against the buzzer so it made one long shrill at the door on the side of the house. No one had used that door in a long time.

"I hear you! Stop pressing the damn button." Rachel said loudly yanking the door open. Rachel froze. She couldn't believe who was standing at her door.

"Rachel?" He asked unsure.

Rachel went to shut the door in his face. "Blaine's not here, Noah."

Puck stopped the door with his hand and stepped through the small opening Rachel left for him. "Where is he?"

"At work I'm guessing." Rachel crossed her arms. "What the hell are you doing back in Apple Tree? Run out of girls to fuck in Tennessee?"

"I see you still have a mouth on you." Puck said. "Actually I'm here for the funeral."

"Oh." Rachel looked down. She forgot about his Aunt dying and she wished she could take back what she said. "Sorry."

Puck smirked. "Don't worry about it."

Rachel stood awkwardly by the door and looked up at Puck. "It's been… years."

"Yep." Puck replied.

Puck had been Blaine's friend in high school. Rachel idolized him. She loved when he would come over. She would prance around the house in a pair of shorts and a tight shirt and Puck definitely noticed. Her dad eventually made Puck stop coming over when Jim found Puck and Rachel in her room alone. Her dad would tell Blaine that Rachel was going to have to be sent to a convent if Blaine didn't get some ugly friends. Blaine would laugh and Rachel would storm up to her room yelling that her dad was ruining her life.

Rachel studied Puck. He was taller but not by much. He stood about Rachel's height. Puck had bulked up since high school. His shoulders were broader and he looked older but the ten years had been very generous to him. He still had that stupid boyish grin on his face from high school. He had been kind of a jock in high school and still was but it suited him.

"Rachel?" Puck asked when Rachel closed her eyes. "You okay?"

"Yea. I have a headache." Rachel nodded walked down the hallway and she heard Puck's footsteps behind her. In the bathroom Rachel downed a few aspirin and looked in the mirror. "Do you think I look different?" Rachel asked Puck and he stepped behind her looking in the mirror too.

"Naw." Puck said. "You look the same."

"It's been ten years. I do not look the same." Rachel replied but couldn't help but smile.

"You've gotten prettier." Puck told her and she blushed looking down. "Your hair's longer." Puck watched her curls bounce when she looked back up.

Rachel looked at herself in the mirror and really studied her face. She did look a little older and her hair was longer. It was a dark brown and really curly. When she was younger her mom always used to tell her she looked like Shirley Temple with those curls. She realized she didn't have any make-up on but she didn't care. She was never one to wear a lot of make-up. Maybe a little eye-liner every now and again but that was all.

Rachel tore her eyes away from the mirror and back to Puck. She turned so that they faced each other. God, this bathroom was small. They were almost touching. Rachel moved away and Puck looked over her head at the clock in the hallway.

"It's almost five o'clock. Don't you work or something?" Puck asked.

"Not anymore." Rachel stepped away again and walked back down the hallway to the living room. Puck joined her beside the couch. "Finn says I should get used to being home more."

"Finn?" Puck asked.

"My fiancé." Rachel nodded. She had always hated that word.

"Oh. I didn't realize… you're not wearing a ring."

Rachel reached down to her empty finger. "I uh… don't like wearing it. I'm afraid I'll lose it."

"You should wear it. You'll give guys the wrong idea."

"Like what?"

"That you're single."

Rachel snorted. "I never leave the house anymore. Finn says there is no need to go out when he can get whatever I need for me." She shrugged.

"So you're marrying a guy that would rather stuff you away in a house alone than show you off?"

"Finn's just old fashioned. He says I need to get used to staying home for when we have kids."

"Right." Puck grinned. "You know… it's a little wacky, but women can have jobs _and _families now." He teased.

"I know. Maybe I'll go back to work after the wedding." Rachel told him. "Come on. I want to show you something." Rachel grabbed Puck's hand and led him upstairs. She opened Blaine's old bedroom door and they walked inside.

"Wow." Puck laughed. "It's exactly the same."

"Yea." Rachel smiled. "Momma didn't want to change anything after we all moved out. Everyone's room is exactly like we left it."

Puck grinned. "Even yours?"

Rachel shrugged. "I guess so." Puck walked past her before she could understand what he was doing. "Wait." She followed him.

Puck opened the bedroom across the hall and walked in. It looked the same. The bed in the middle of the room and the vanity across from it. All of her old high school photos still plastered the mirror and posters of Ryan Reynolds and Johnny Depp covered most of her walls.

"I haven't been in here in months." Rachel looked around and sat on her bed. It was still covered in her old bed set. "I can't believe Mom never boxed all this stuff up."

"Aww." Puck spread out on the bed beside Rachel. She looked down at him. He was staring up at the ceiling. "I remember the last time we were in her together… alone."

"Me too." Rachel said still looking at him.

Puck smiled. "Your dad almost killed me."

"I think he got so mad because you were older… and it was my first kiss."

"What?" Puck sat up quickly. "It was not."

"…Yes it was." Rachel nodded.

"I feel like I took your innocence or something now." Puck smirked.

"It was only a kiss." Rachel said and thought about how he had come to her room one night and asked to borrow some paper. He had basically groped her on her bed before her dad caught them. "It's not like we had sex."

"Right." Puck agreed. "You saved that for Kevin Nichols."

"What?" Rachel furrowed her brow. "I never slept with Kevin."

"Are you sure?" Puck asked.

"Yes, I'm sure. I think I would remember if I fucked Kevin Nichols." Rachel was defensive. She had gone out with Kevin her sophomore and junior year of high school. It didn't end well.

"Not according to him. He went around saying you two went up to the pier right before you broke up."

"Are you serious?" Rachel asked but couldn't help but laugh. "Wait? Is that why you stopped talking to me?"

Puck looked down and shrugged. "I don't know."

"You stopped talking to me because you thought I had sex with Kevin." Rachel laughed again. "I didn't have sex until I was in college."

"Wow." Puck smiled too. "Blaine always told me you were a prude."

"I am not." Rachel's eyes got big. "I've been with plenty of guys."

"Yea?" Puck teased. "Let me guess… two, maybe three."

"Three." Rachel smiled.

"Slut." Puck laughed.

"It's getting late." Rachel noted looking outside to see it was almost dark. The clock read 6:47 and Rachel sighed.

"What's wrong?" Puck asked.

"He said he would be home early." Rachel was getting upset.

"Finn?" Puck asked. "He'll be here. I don't know any guy that would make you wait."

"You obviously don't know Finn."

"No, but I know you." Puck replied.

"No you don't." Rachel shook her head.

"Yea I do. You're very predictable. I was over here almost every day for six years I probably know more about you than Finn does."

"Whatever." Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Is that a challenge?" Puck straightened up. "Your favorite food is cheese pizza, the vegan kind; you didn't know how to tie your shoes until you were nine; and you stuffed your bra in junior high."

Rachel laughed. "I did not."

"Yes you did." Puck laughed too.

"And besides… that doesn't mean you know me."

Puck raised his eyebrows. "Your favorite color is green; you're a clean freak; and you kept a diary until you were a freshman in college."

"Those are all things Finn knows."

"I bet Finn doesn't know that it's Friday and every Friday you wear a blue silk bra; I bet he doesn't know that you made out with your college roommate twice; and I know he doesn't know about our night in your room."

"Okay… well maybe Finn doesn't know everything about me but he knows the important stuff."

"No. _I_ know the important stuff. He only knows what you tell him." Puck retorted and it shut Rachel up. She didn't have time to say anything else before Finn walked through the front door.

"I'm home." Finn called and found Rachel in the living room. "Who's this?"

"Oh, this is Noah." Rachel introduced them. "Noah, Finn."

"Hi." Puck held out his hand.

"Hello." Finn said but didn't shake Puck's hand. He sat his briefcase on the couch and loosened his tie.

"Noah is one of Blaine's friends from high school. He came by and I guess we got caught up talking."

"Apparently." Finn didn't look happy walking into the kitchen.

"Excuse us." Rachel followed Finn into the kitchen leaving Puck in the living room. "What's wrong?"

"I don't like coming home to find strange men alone with my wife in my house."

"Your house? It's my parents' house."

"I thought it was our house."

"How Finn? You only come home to sleep and half the time you sleep at the office!" Rachel was starting to get loud.

"That's not fair." Finn yelled back. "I work hard to support us."

"What us? It's all about you! You work! You do everything! I have to stay home all day cleaning up the house, cooking supper, whatever YOU want!"

"Don't yell at me!" Finn retorted.

"Fine. I won't yell. I'll throw." Rachel reached over and picked up the closet dish to her and chucked it at Finn. She kept throwing and the dishes kept breaking.

"I can't be around you when you act like this!" Finn yelled and another dish whirled past him shattering against the wall. "I'm leaving!" Another broken dish. "Maybe you should sleep alone tonight!" Another dish flew past his head as he stormed out of the kitchen.

"Maybe I will!" Rachel screamed and reached for something else to throw but she was out of dishes.

Puck walked into the kitchen to see Rachel slumped against the counter. She was flushed red from anger and her hair was wild. He stepped over the broken dishes that blanketed the floor to get to Rachel. He pulled her against him and she sunk into him. She didn't know how much longer her legs would hold her. She buried her face in his shirt. It was soft cotton and his chest was solid. He smelled good. Like the rain and a soft scent of sweat but it was sweet. It smelled like Puck.

"I'm going to ruin your shirt." Rachel said when she started to cry.

"I'll get another one." Puck replied and her curls tickled his chin as her face nuzzled closer to him; wanting to soak all of him in.

Rachel finally pulled away when the tears stopped. "It's late."

"Yea." Puck said wanting to pull Rachel back to him.

"I should get some sleep. I've got a long day tomorrow."

"Yea." Puck said again and stepped back crunching glass as he went.

"Thanks for coming by." Rachel told him when they got to the side door. "I really needed the company."

"You're welcome." Puck nodded. "I'll see you around."

Rachel leaned up and kissed his cheek gently. "Would you mind not telling anybody about this? I really don't need all the gossip." Puck knew she was talking about the fight between her and Finn.

"Of course." He kissed her cheek as well before stepping outside. Rachel locked the door behind him and grabbed the broom from the closet to clean up the mess she had made with the plates. If only the mess with Finn could be cleaned up that easily.

* * *

A/N: Next part should be up next weekend, hopefully. Review and let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.

A/N: I'm hoping you guys are liking this. I'm not getting many reviews but I do appreciate the people that have taken the time to leave one. I'm not sure where this idea came from. Even though my major is nursing I'm minoring in English so I write a lot of short stories - granted, most of them never get finished - but this one was just sitting in my laptop, untouched for a few months so I changed the names around and made this into a Puckleberry fic. Anyways, I'm babbling now so I'm just going to shut up and let you read.

* * *

Rachel rubbed her eyes waking up in the morning. She felt somebody beside her and realized Finn was in bed with her. She leaned over and laid her head on his chest seeing that he was awake.

"I'm sorry." Rachel said quietly.

"I know." Finn patted her head. "I didn't like those dishes anyway."

"I'm going to see Mom and Dad today."

"That's good. They must be lonely." Finn's voice sounded distant; like he wasn't really there.

"Afterwards maybe we could have lunch in town." Rachel suggested.

"I can't, honey." Rachel hated him calling her honey. "I've got a business meeting in an hour."

"It's Saturday." Rachel whined.

"I know but I'm working so hard now so we can time together after the wedding."

_There's not going to be a wedding if you're not home more._ Rachel thought.

"I guess." Rachel sighed. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Maybe." Finn started to get up and left Rachel to fall against the bed in a heap.

"The funeral is Monday." Rachel told him as he started to get dressed. It was already after ten.

"What funeral?" Finn asked.

"Jenny's funeral. I told you about it two days ago."

"I'm booked Monday. You'll just have to go alone. I didn't even know the lady, Rachel."

"Fine." Rachel walked over to the closet trying to keep her cool. "I'm going to see Mom and Dad." Rachel jerked a dress out of her closet and slipped it on over her bra and panties.

Rachel hurried to leave before Finn could catch up with her. She brushed through her tangled hair in the car. Rachel walked up the steps to her parents' apartment. She figured Puck would be staying with his uncle which was right next to her parents' apartment. She brought her hand up to knock on his door but her hand fell back to her side when she saw the engagement on her finger. She walked through the door to her parents' apartment and smiled. Her mother was asleep on the couch and her dad was at the table reading the paper.

"Hey, dad." Rachel smiled joining him at the table.

"Hey, sweetie." Jim put the paper down.

"How's mom doing?"

"It's gotten worse Rachel." Jim hated to admit it. "I don't want her going to one of those homes."

"She won't. I have interviews for a new nurse tomorrow." Rachel nodded. "Everything will be okay." Rachel said more to convince herself. "I ran into Noah yesterday. You remember Blaine's friend right?"

"I never liked that boy." Jim shook his head. "He took advantage of you."

"Dad." Rachel smiled. "He was only 18. I was begging him to kiss me."

"And you were only 16." Jim shook his head again. "You were my baby girl. You still are. You're growing up too fast. In just a few months you're getting married."

"Maybe." Rachel mumbled.

"What?"

"Jim?" Susie said from the couch before Rachel could answer. "Is this the new nurse?" Susie hobbled over to the table.

Rachel felt the tears eat up her throat. Her own mother didn't even recognize her.

"This is Rachel." Jim told Susie. "Our daughter."

"Oh." Susie smiled. "Such a pretty girl."

"I uh… I should get some lunch. Do you two want to come?" Rachel choked on the sob.

"I think it would be best for Susie to stay in today." Jim gave Rachel a sorry look.

"Okay." Rachel tried to smile leaving the apartment. Rachel was wiping the tears away when she heard Steve's, Puck's uncle, doorknob turn. Puck walked out into the hallway and saw Rachel.

"Hey." He walked over to her. "Are you crying?"

"It's nothing." Rachel knew her eyes were puffy and red.

"I was about to head out to lunch. You wanna come?"

Rachel sniffed and smiled. "Sure."

* * *

Rachel and Puck's quick lunch turned very long. She finally got home around three but Finn wasn't home yet. His car was parked outside but he wasn't anywhere in the house. It was almost five before a car pulled into the driveway. A blonde was driving and Rachel looked out of the window to see the woman lean over and kiss Finn.

Rachel felt her stomach twist. She couldn't believe it. He was kissing another woman right in the middle of her driveway. Finn couldn't possibly be this stupid. She quickly walked into the kitchen and started to cut up carrots for the pot roast.

Finn walked inside and took his time to find Rachel. He sat his briefcase on the table and smiled at Rachel.

"How are your parents?" Finn asked but Rachel didn't answer, continuing to cut up the carrots. "I asked you a question."

Rachel slammed the knife down and glared up at Finn. "Are you cheating on me?"

Finn smirked at Rachel. "Took you long enough."

Rachel was confused. Was he confessing? Rachel walked over to him and jabbed him in the chest with her finger. "Are you cheating on me?"

"Don't yell at me." Finn shoved her back.

"You didn't have a business meeting did you?" Rachel yelled. "You were off fucking some cheap skank!"

Finn brought his hand up and slapped Rachel hard across her face so hard she stumbled back a few steps.

"Oh honey." Finn stepped towards her. "I am so sorry."

"Don't touch me!" Rachel yelled trying not to cry. Finn had never been violent.

Puck pulled up into Rachel's driveway. She had left her wallet at lunch. He saw that the kitchen light was on and he heard screaming.

"Come on Rachel." Finn stepped closer. "You know I didn't mean to. You just pushed me too far, that's all."

"You're blaming me?" Rachel screamed and picked up the knife beside her. "I said to stay away from me!"

Puck got closer and the yelling got louder. He didn't knock this time. He barged through the side door and stopped when he saw what was going on. Rachel held a knife up and Finn stepped back, his arms up in surrender.

"Rachel." Puck said calmly. "Put the knife down."

"No." Rachel grinded her teeth. She was tired of people bullying her around. "He- he cheated on me… with some blonde bimbo and then he had the audacity for her to come here. To my house." Rachel was screaming pretty loud. It was a good thing she didn't have neighbors.

"That's not a reason to kill him." Puck tried to reason with him.

"I'm not going to kill him." Rachel said calmly. "I'm just going to make sure he can't have sex again."

"What?" Finn asked and then his eyes got big realizing what she meant. "Come on, Rachel. Can you really blame me?"

"Excuse me?" Rachel stepped closer to him.

"We haven't had sex in a very long time." Finn shrugged and Puck shook his head. This guy just didn't know how to shut up. Puck thought about letting Rachel do what she wanted to him.

"And that's my fault!" Rachel yelled louder.

"I'm not saying that." Finn said quickly. "You can't blame me for looking elsewhere though."

"The hell I can't." Rachel screamed and lunged at Finn. He yelped out but Rachel never made it to him. She felt Puck wrap his arms around her tightly and knock the knife out of her hand. "Let me go!" She struggled against him.

Puck adjusted himself so that he pinned Rachel between the counter and him. She wasn't going anywhere. He reached up and held her head still, seeing the large handprint brusied across her small face.

"Get out of here." Puck said to Finn but never took his eyes off of Rachel.

"It's my house." Finn retorted.

"Get the hell out or I'll beat the fuck out of you for putting your hands on her. Consider me not kicking your ass as a favor." Puck was still staring at Rachel and she had finally shut up but she still struggled against him.

Finn grabbed his stuff and couldn't get out of the house fast enough.

"Why'd you let him go!" Rachel demanded. "I wasn't going to really hurt him."

"Yes you would have." Puck still had her pinned against the counter. "Stop struggling."

"Let me go. He's already gone."

"I want to make sure he's a few miles away so you don't go chase him down like some crazy lady." Puck told her still holding her face.

Rachel wiggled against him harder. His eyes turned hot and dark and Rachel realized why. She was grinding against him and he still had the perverted mind of an eighteen year old boy. Rachel stopped moving and studied Puck's face. She hadn't been this close to him earlier. He did look different but he still looked sexy as hell. His mouth was right there and if she just leaned forward she would have it. Rachel got an idea. If she slept with Puck and Finn found them together maybe he would be hurt like Rachel had been. She wanted revenge.

Rachel quickly leaned up and kissed Puck. His lips were warm and tantalizing against hers. She felt him try to pull away so she tightened her grip on his shirt. When he stepped back he dragged her with him.

"Rachel." He struggled to say around her mouth.

"What?" Rachel pulled back but didn't move away from him. "I thought you wanted me to."

"No." He closed his eyes. "You're upset. You don't mean it."

"Yes I do." Rachel tried to kiss him again.

"You're engaged." Puck looked down at the ring on her finger.

"So." Rachel yanked the ring off and chucked it behind her. "He cheated on me. We're over."

"Rachel." Puck's voice was husky and Rachel knew he wanted to kiss her.

"He cheated on me." Rachel said again. "Noah. Please."

"I…" Puck wanted to so bad. He'd wanted to since he first seen her prancing around in shorts and tank tops that showed off her every curve when he was 16. "We can't." Puck said more roughly.

Rachel pursed her lips and studied his face. "Fine." She ground her teeth. "If you really don't want to then why are you still holding onto me?" Rachel said noting he was still squeezing her tight against him.

"I-I didn't want you to try to go after Finn again." Puck told her.

"You were always a really bad liar." Rachel smirked running her hands over his chest. It was broad and hard. Solid. "I wonder if you still look good without a shirt on." She teased pulling his shirt out of his pants and wiggling it up over his sides.

"Rachel." Puck said again but it was more like a warning.

"Just once." Rachel whispered. "So we don't have to wonder what it would be like. I've wanted this since that night in my room. We don't have to tell anybody. No strings… just like you like it, right, Noah?"

"I said no." Puck pushed her away and walked across the kitchen. He bent to pick up her ring.

"Noah." Rachel pleaded.

"Put the damn ring on." Puck was getting annoyed. He grabbed her hand and forced the ring on her finger. "You're going to get married to Finn. This was just a fight. You'll get over it. You're going to marry Finn." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

"It was not just a fight. He cheated on me!" Rachel said loudly. "He hit me!"

"I should not be feeling this way." Puck said to himself and ran his fingers through his hair. "This is bad. This is really bad. You're Blaine's sister. He would kill me."

"You weren't thinking that when you were groping me." She yelled.

"I was 18." Puck said just as loud.

"You haven't changed that much, Noah." Rachel crossed her arms. "You wanted me then and you want me now. I can feel it."

"Of course I want you. A guy would be stupid not to." Puck walked towards her quickly. "But…"

"But what?" Rachel asked. "I'm not pretty enough for you?"

"You're beautiful." Puck told her. "But it would be wrong. You love Finn. You were going to marry him."

"Why don't you leave?" Rachel told him.

"What?" He asked.

"Well you're obviously not going to do any good here so go home." Rachel walked over and opened the door for him.

Puck studied Rachel before leaving. He heard her slam the door behind him.

* * *

Rachel woke up in the morning, groggy, to the smell of bacon and eggs. Downstairs Finn had breakfast on the table and was reading the newspaper.

"Good morning, Honey." He smiled when he saw her.

She didn't know what to say. He was acting as if nothing had happened yesterday. This was what he always did. He thought that if he pretended there wasn't a problem it would disappear.

"What is this?" She asked.

"You always fix breakfast so I thought I'd do something nice for a change." Finn smiled putting the paper down. "I made coffee. It's strong, like you like it."

"Oh." Rachel was confused. Maybe Finn was right. Maybe if she pretended nothing happened it would go away. "It smells good."

"Eat up." He stood up to pull a chair out for her.

"Finn… about last night…"

"Don't worry about it. I forgive you." Finn bent to kiss her cheek. "You should get some makeup to cover that." Rachel knew he meant the bruise on her face.

"Of course." Rachel said weakly. "After I eat."

"I've got to get to work. I might me home a little late, business meeting. Don't wait up."

"Finn?" She asked when he grabbed his briefcase. "I love you."

"You too, sweetie." He gripped her shoulder before leaving.

Rachel felt the tears eat up her throat but this time she didn't fight them. She let them come and she didn't care. She blindly cleaned off the table and cleared the mess. This was how Rachel de-stressed. She cleaned every little spot of the house and by the time she was done it was almost two o'clock.

On the couch Rachel pulled her feet up and hugged her knees. There was no telling where Finn was or who he was with. She looked down to study the ring on her finger. The ring Finn had given her. She didn't understand why he didn't leave her if he was so unhappy.

Rachel couldn't stand it any longer. She couldn't sit in this house all day and worry about who her fiancé was fucking.

"Rachel? I haven't seen you around lately." Tina smiled when Rachel walked into the store.

"I know. I've been awfully busy." Rachel smiled back. "We should catch up sometime."

"Do you need any help finding anything?"

"No." Rachel smirked looking down at the credit card in her hand. "I know exactly what I need."

"Rachel?" Finn called into the house later that night. "Whose car is that outside?"

"Mine." Rachel said from the kitchen and heard Finn make his way towards her. She was dressed in a new outfit. "I bought it today." She said very calmly.

"What?" He asked upset. "What was wrong with your other car?"

"The brakes were rubbing together." She smiled up at him sweetly.

"So you get them changed. Not buy a brand new car."

"Oh." Rachel cocked her head. "Oh well." She shrugged and went back to making the soup.

"What is wrong with you?"

Rachel slowly smoothed out her new dress. "Since I am looking past the fact that you're sleeping with some blonde slut you can look past the fact that I maxed out your credit card."

"My credit card?" Finn whipped out his wallet and searched through it.

"This one?" Rachel held up a shiny gold card and smiled at Finn.

"You bitch!" Finn grinded his teeth. "You can't spend my money!"

"Your money?" She asked confused. "But honey… I thought you said it was _our_ money. You know, you work and I keep house. That is what you said wasn't it?"

"You can't get away with this." Finn pointed his finger at her.

"Yes I can. You're the dumbass that said we should get a joint account." Rachel smirked. "But don't worry. I'll stop spending money as soon as you stop cheating."

"You can't blackmail me."

Rachel smiled and stepped towards him. "Watch me." She walked past Finn and into the living room. "Did you see the new dishes? The carpenter's coming tomorrow to replace all the carpet in the house. We really need to freshen this place up before we get married, don't you think?"

"Rachel!" Finn screamed and stomped towards her.

"Don't even think about laying another hand on me because while you out banging some no-class whore I got a lawyer, not that I'd need one, but since you're paying for it I thought what the hell. Touch me again and I'm suing your ass for all you're worth and when I get done with this little shopping spree it won't be much." Rachel turned to face him. "What's the matter, Finn? Did I hit a nerve?"

"I'm going out." Finn, red-faced, stormed out of the house.

"Have fun." Rachel smiled in satisfaction when she heard Finn's car speed off down the road.

It was almost eight o'clock when Puck showed up.

"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked.

"Your dad sent me. He said you're phone was disconnected."

"I unplugged it." She shrugged shutting the door behind him.

"Nice stuff." Puck motioned to the pile of boxes Rachel had bought today.

"Yea. I kinda went a little crazy with Finn's credit card." She sighed. "Oh, I wanted to thank you."

"For what?"

"For stopping me last night." Rachel shook her head. "I have no idea what came over me. It was stupid and I'm sorry. And you were right. It was just a fight. Finn and I will get through this." She pulled her knees to her chest on the couch.

"Oh." Rachel could sense the disappointment in his voice as he sat down.

"He can't make it to the funeral tomorrow so I guess it's just me." Rachel shrugged. "He's got a business meeting or something."

"Why are you doing this?" Puck asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Last night you were all for kicking Finn out and shacking up with me." Puck sounded annoyed.

"Sleeping with you wouldn't have helped anybody. It would have made things worse."

"That's not the point. Last night you hated Finn and suddenly you're okay with him sleeping around. Do you really think that low of yourself that you think you have to settle for an ass like Finn?"

"I love Finn and he loves me." Rachel retorted. "You rejected me remember. You could have had me years ago."

"Come on." Puck grabbed Rachel's arms and pulled her off of the couch.

"What are you doing?"

"You wanted to have sex. We're going to have sex." Puck said bluntly, pulling her upstairs with him.

"Puck?" Rachel tried to pull away from him as he shoved her bedroom door open.

"What's the matter, Rachel?" Puck asked pushing her back on her bed when they reached her bedroom. "Am I not being rough enough for you? Do I need to slap you around for a while to get you turned on?"

"You're being an ass!" She yelled.

"I thought that's how you liked it." He shrugged.

"Why are you being like this?" Rachel looked hurt.

"It doesn't matter." Puck stepped away from her.

"If you have something to say why don't you just say it?" She said.

"You really want to know what I think. I think you're being stupid and selfish."

"Selfish?"

"You're marrying Finn, a guy that doesn't even have the decency to treat you like a human being when there are hundreds of guys that would kill to be with a girl like you."

"Really?" Rachel stood up. "Where? Because I don't see any guys knocking at my door to take me out."

"I'm right here, Rachel!" Puck screamed and it took Rachel back. Her mouth opened and snapped shut just as quick.

"What?" She finally mustered the word.

"Fuck!" He turned away from her ran his hands through his hair. "I need to get out of here."

"Noah?" Rachel's voice was so desperate he couldn't help but look at her.

"I need to get out of here." He said again and this time he hurried downstairs.

"Wait." She called after him but he was already outside. "Noah!" She yelled from the front porch.

Puck didn't turn back. He got in his car and backed out of the driveway. As he pulled away he glanced back at Rachel. She was standing on the top step of the porch and for a minute he thought he saw her crying.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.

A/N: Okay, so I'm not happy with this chapter, at all. I think I jumped a little too quickly into the smut but I didn't want to drag this fic on forever and I'm only planning on having one other part to this. Let me know what you guys think of this update.

* * *

Finn walked into the living room around six that night. Surprised, Rachel looked up from the TV.

"You're home." It sounded more like a question.

"Yea." He said nervously, putting his briefcase down and loosening his tie. "What are you eating?" He sat beside her.

"Pizza." Rachel held it out, offering it to him.

"Thanks." He smiled and Rachel went into the kitchen. She came back out a few minutes later with two glasses and a bottle of wine.

"Here." She gave him a glass and poured some for him.

For a while Rachel and Finn sat in silence, drinking. When the bottle was empty Rachel looked over at him.

"Do you remember that night we met?" She asked and he glanced over at her.

"Of course." A smile teased his lips. "You were wearing that red dress and those black shoes."

"Oh God." Rachel groaned. "I hated those shoes. The only reason I sat next to your friend was because my feet were killing me and I couldn't stand it anymore." They both laughed.

"It's a good thing you did or we never would have met." Finn said a little more serious.

Rachel looked down at the wine in her glass. "What are we doing?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

She wiggled the ring on her finger and pulled it off. Rachel reached for Finn's hand placing the ring in his palm as she curled his fingers around it. "I'm letting you off the hook."

"Rachel?" He asked.

"You never really wanted to marry me. We were together for so long and it just seemed like the next thing to do." Rachel sighed.

"I do want to marry you." Finn countered.

"We both knew neither of us would go through with this. We were waiting for one of us to break it off." She looked up at him. "I just beat you to it."

"Don't do this." He begged.

Rachel smiled. "Could you honestly see us together in ten years or even five? We'd kill each other, Finn. We're too hard-headed. The only reason we ever got together was because I was lonely and you had just broke up from a two-year relationship."

"Are you breaking up with me?" Finn asked seriously.

She laughed. "We broke up a long time ago. It was just easier to pretend." Rachel stood up. "I'm going to bed."

* * *

In the morning Rachel felt different. Looking in the closet, she saw that all his stuff was gone. He was gone but oddly, she didn't feel sad. She knew this would happen eventually. She was glad it had happened sooner rather than later.

At her parents apartment Rachel was stopping in to make sure the new nurse was doing okay. Her mom was on the couch talking to the nurse when Rachel joined her dad at the table.

"Good morning." She smiled at him.

"I thought you had a funeral today."

"I do." Rachel sat down. "I'm on my way but I thought I'd drop in to see what's going on."

"The nurse is great. Your mom's been having a good day so far. She remembered me this morning and even asked about you."

"Really?" Rachel looked over at her mom. "Do you think she'll recognize me?"

"There's only one way to find out." He told her and Rachel walked over to the couch.

"Mom?" She sat beside her.

"Rachel." Her mom smiled. "What a nice surprise for you to stop by."

Rachel couldn't help but smile as she hugged her mom. She didn't want to leave just yet but the funeral was in an hour and she told Puck she'd be there early.

"I'll stop by later. I promise." Rachel gripped her mom's hand as she walked away. "Bye, dad." She bent and kissed his cheek.

Inside the funeral home Rachel made her way into the back where she heard Puck and his uncle talking.

"Hey." Rachel said awkwardly.

"Rachel." Puck said. "I wasn't sure if you were coming."

"I said I would. I loved your Aunt." Rachel's voice was small.

Pucks' uncle left the room to go get ready to start greeting people when they arrived.

"Sit down." Puck gestured to the chair beside him.

"This must be hard on you." Rachel sat and took Pucks' hand. "I know how much Jenny meant to you. She was like a mom to you."

"Yea." Puck looked down at their hands. "No ring? I thought I told you to start wearing that thing."

"I gave it back to Finn." She told him.

"What?" He looked confused.

"We called off the wedding." She nodded. "It was bound to happen sooner or later. I guess it's just a good thing it wasn't later."

"That must suck." Puck frowned.

"Not so much." Rachel smiled. "I don't really feel different."

Rachel still clung tightly to Puck's hand as they walked out of the back room to join the people that were starting to arrive.

* * *

Rachel looked at herself in the mirror. It was almost eight o'clock at night and she was dressed in a skirt and a plain t-shirt. Finn was out having some fun and Rachel was about to be. She hadn't been out in months but that was about to change.

At the bar Rachel walked inside slowly. She walked over to the bar and ordered a beer.

"Rachel?" Sam, the bartender and owner, asked nervously. "I didn't know you'd be out tonight."

"Hey, Sam." She smiled taking the beer bottle.

"How long you gonna be here?" Sam asked.

"As long as it takes to get shit-faced." She joked but there was a hint of seriousness in her voice.

"Okay." He chuckled nervously.

Rachel turned from the bar and looked around. She spotted Tina at a table with her husband, Artie, and a few friends. At the pool table some guys Rachel recognized were playing pool, including Puck.

"Mind if I join?" She walked over to them.

"Hey! It's Rachel!" Matt laughed. "Haven't seen you around here much."

"I heard you and Finn broke up." Mike spoke up. "Does that mean that you're available?"

"In your dreams." Rachel smiled taking the pool stick from Puck. "You guys always sucked at pool."

"We don't suck; we're just not as good as you." Puck said.

Rachel laughed but froze when she turned to see who had just walked into the bar. Finn and the same blonde from the driveway were laughing and walked over to a booth across the bar. Rachel quickly downed the rest of her beer and turned back to the guys.

"Maybe I should head home." She told them and went to grab her purse from behind the bar. "Night, Sam." She smiled at him and walked out of the door.

She was walking down the alley towards her car when she felt someone grab her hard. They shoved her hard against the wall and she gasped. She wasn't scared because they were familiar hands and she would recognize Puck's smell anywhere.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked her.

"What do you mean?" Rachel felt her heart speed up just from being this close to him.

"Coming into the bar dressed like that… you know it's driving me absolutely crazy." He whispered gruffly.

"I was hoping." She smiled up at him.

"Why are you doing this?" Puck asked.

"I'm not doing anything." Rachel said innocently and thrust her hips towards his making him groan.

"Don't." It sounded like a warning.

"Why?" She asked seriously. "There's nothing stopping us."

"You're Blaine's sister." Puck told her huskily.

"I don't see Blaine around, do you?" Rachel's voice sounded almost desperate. "I'm 28 and alone. I haven't been out of this God forsaken town in almost two years. I need this, Puck. I need you."

"We can't." He said but she felt his lips on her neck.

He kissed her neck greedily and Rachel's head lolled back against the brick wall behind her. He leaned into her more crushing her against the wall but she didn't mind. His mouth moved to take hers hungrily. Puck had always had good hands – great even – but Rachel had never had him touch her like this before. That night in her room years ago they had be young and inexperienced. But now, Puck knew exactly what he was doing. His hands squeezed her everywhere like he was desperately trying to memorize everything about her.

"Noah." Rachel pulled away and studied his eyes. "We're in an alley."

"So?"

"Someone could find us." She told him.

"Then we'll teach them something." He gave her a wicked grin.

Rachel reached in her pocket searching for her keys. She knew that he was walked here because it wasn't that far from his apartment so he didn't have his truck here.

"Drive." She pressed the keys into the palm of his hand.

He growled angrily and almost ripped her arm off yanking her towards her car down the alley. She could hear him mumbling something about 'a perfectly good alley' as he pulled off down the street in her car.

Rachel left her seat belt off and scooted closer to Puck. Her hands fluttered out and touched every part of him she could.

"No fair." He smirked. "I have to keep my hands on the steering wheel."

"That's why I wanted you to drive." She smiled against his neck as her hands fumbled with his belt.

She finally got it unfastened and yanked his jeans open. She knew that he was already hard so when she pulled out his erection she wasn't surprised.

Puck shuddered as her small hand wrapped around it gingerly. He fought to keep his eyes open and his hands on the wheel. His hands were itching to touch her. She sucked on the sensitive spot behind his ear as her handed worked him up and down making his heart beat faster.

"Rachel." He groaned. "Why do you have to live so far away?" She smiled when she felt him press down harder on the accelerator.

"Pull over." She whispered.

"What?" He asked.

"You heard me." Rachel told him. "You can barely keep your eyes on the road and I don't know how much longer I can wait."

"Seriously?" He questioned, but he was already pulling onto a dirt road that led to the old railway.

"Hurry up." Rachel laughed and stopped touching him long enough to slip out of her panties. Thankfully, she had worn a skirt.

Puck parked the car quickly and turned to pull Rachel into his lap carefully so that she didn't knee him.

"Condom?" She asked as he hiked her skirt high up on her hips.

"I'll get to that." He pulled her shirt over her head.

Rachel smiled and yanked his shirt off as well. She took in the sight on his chest. He was in good shape. Rachel was glad he wasn't one of those guys that waxed their chests. She ran her fingers through the hair on his chest and bent to kiss him again.

Puck leaned up pulling a condom from his pocket and pushing his jeans down to his ankles without breaking the kiss.

"Come on." Rachel took the condom from him and helped slip it on.

"You sure about this?" Puck asked.

She smiled at him, lining him up at her entrance and lowering herself onto him. She moaned loudly as he filled her completely.

"Christ, Rachel." Puck groaned in pleasure.

Rachel's hands ran through his hair and kissed his mouth as she steadily bounced up and down on top of him. She hadn't had sex in months and she had really missed it. She felt his hands reach behind her and unhook her bra. Puck had always been a boob guy. She let him slip the bra off of her and threw her head back when he bent to take a nipple into his mouth.

"Oh, God." Rachel had always been pretty vocal, especially when it came to great sex. "Noah."

He moved to take the other one as he tried to decide which one he like more. Puck had always had trouble making decisions but when he kept going back and forth between breasts Rachel didn't mind at all.

"Faster." He whispered around her nipple and his hands gripped her hips making her move faster on top of him.

"Oh…" Rachel let out a guttural scream and it only turned Puck on more.

He lifted her hips faster and faster as they both neared the edge of no return. Rachel pulled his face up to kiss him again as they fell headfirst into the pool of darkness together. She slowed to a stop on top of him as they rode out their orgasms.

"Wow." Rachel breathed heavily.

"I know." Puck panted into her neck. He looked around at the dark around them. "We should get out of here."

She moved off of his lap and back into her own seat. She heard him quickly row the window down and toss the condom out. He yanked his pants up around his waist before starting her car. Rachel was straightening out her skirt and pulling her shirt back on as he pulled back onto the main road heading towards her house. They sat in silence for the next ten minutes until he pulled into her driveway.

Rachel grabbed her shoes and ran inside with Puck not far behind her. She had just made it to the kitchen when he grabbed her.

"This isn't over." He smirked down at her.

"Not by a long shot." She added.

He reached around her to unzip her skirt and yank it down. He helped pulled her shirt over her head again leaving her completely naked front of him. He had never seen Rachel completely naked so having her standing in front of him, blushing and trying to hide her chest, made him hard instantly.

"Fuck." He mumbled, spinning her around so quickly she gasped when he pressed her against the counter. "I'm going to take you so hard right now." He growled in her ear and his fingers tickled over her spine. "You like it this way don't you? Me taking you from behind?"

"Noah." She whimpered, hearing him slide his zipper down and shove his pants off, kicking them carelessly behind him. "Oh, God." She gasped when she felt his hands slide down her body to part her folds and he slipped the tip of him inside of her.

"Tell me you like it. Tell me Finn never touched you like this; never made you feel this way." He teased her opening, pulling back when she pressed back against him, trying to relief some of the ache between her legs.

"No, never." She rasped. "Only you, Noah."

"Damn straight." He said from behind clenched teeth and he rammed into her, knocking her off balance and shoving her into the counter. She let out a gasp and she wasn't sure if it was from the pain of the counter digging into her abdomen or how big he felt inside of her at this angle. "Rachel." He whispered in her ear, moving in and out of her quickly. He pushed the hair away from her shoulder and kissed it softly.

She pushed herself back, meeting his thrusts as they moaned in unison. "Noah." She said loudly. "I need more. Please, more, Noah."

He grunted, pulling out of her much to her protest and spun her around so that they were facing each other. "Damn, Rach." He quickly hoisted her up onto the counter before thrusting back into her, making her go up on her toes yet again.

It was later, after they were completely exhausted and wrapped up with each on her bed – the bed in her old room because Puck said he refused to sleep in a bed where Finn had slept – before he finally broke their silence. It was something she had been dreading but she knew it was going to happen.

"I have to go back." He whispered. "I could only get off work until right after the funeral. My flight leaves in two days."

She screwed her eyes shut, trying to block out his words but she knew they wouldn't go away no matter how much she wanted them to. "Don't." She told him. "We can deal with this tomorrow but just for tonight, don't. Let's pretend like you don't have to leave; let's pretend, okay, Noah?"

He pulled her closer, nuzzling into her neck. "Okay." He replied because he really did want to pretend.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.

* * *

"Come with me." Puck wrapped his arms around Rachel's waist and pulled her towards him.

"You live in Chicago. I can't move that far away." Rachel shook her head. "My parents need me here. I can't just pack up and move."

"Why not?" Puck asked. "When is the last time you did something for yourself? You have spent your entire life giving to everyone…"

"I can't just leave."

"You always wanted to sing. Come to Chicago. You can do that there." He pleaded. "Come on, Rachel. I just got you. I can't lose you yet."

"You're not losing me, Noah." She shook her head. "Look, I care about you but I have responsibilities here. My parents need me."

"I need you."

She smiled sadly. "No you don't. You'll go back to Chicago and you'll meet a new girl. She'll make you happy and you won't remember me back here in Apple Tree."

"So you won't even think about coming with me?" He asked.

"I did think about it. I thought about it a lot. I don't belong in Chicago. I belong here."

"This is a mistake."

"Maybe." She nodded and kissed his cheek. "But it's a mistake I have to make."

Puck left after that. She watched is go and it took everything she had not to run after him and tell him to take her with him. She checked the clock later that night and realized that he would have landed in Chicago hours ago. She busied herself with cleaning because if she thought about Noah she was going to break down. She was sure she had made the right choice. She had to stay here. She had to take care of her parents. But why had she wanted to say yes so badly. It was right on the tip of her tongue when he had asked her to go with him. She had pushed the urge away and forced herself to be practical. She couldn't move to another state with a man she had only just started to be romantic with.

/

"I talked to that Puckerman boy." Rachel's dad made conversation the next morning.

"You did?" Rachel replied, her eyes wide, staring at her father from across the kitchen table. "I can only assume it didn't go well. You've never liked Noah."

"It went very well, actually." Robert corrected. "We talked about his Aunt a lot. He really misses her." He looked up at Rachel. "We talked about you as well."

Rachel pursed her lips and moved to start cleaning up their breakfast mess. "I have to leave soon."

"It's not a good idea, Rachel." Robert sighed.

"Look, he asked me to move to Chicago with him." She stopped moving and slumped back into the chair. "And as much as I wanted to say yes… I declined. I couldn't leave you and Mom." She shook her head. "So you don't have to worry about it. I know that moving to Chicago would be a bad idea."

"I was talking about staying." He told her. "Rachel, you have no reason to say no."

Rachel refused to look at her father. "I can't… move to Chicago. I can't move with Noah."

"I have watched how you sacrificed for this family. You wanted to be on Broadway, Rachel. You were going to be a star and you gave all of that up when your mom got sick." He paused for a second. "I just sat on the sidelines and watched as you made the biggest mistake of your life. You almost married the most boring man on the face of the earth."

Rachel cracked a smile. "Finn was not that boring." She rolled her eyes.

Robert's eyes shined at his daughter's laughter but then he turned serious. "I have never seen you be so happy before, Bunny. You've walked around for the last few years, being this shell of yourself for Finn. But now, you're happy. You smile and laugh and you're Rachel again. Noah does that. He makes you Rachel. You can't give that up because of your silly parents."

"Are you telling me I should go to Chicago?" Rachel asked.

"I'm telling you that you _have _to go to Chicago." Robert smiled.

/

Rachel wasn't surprised when she heard Noah knocking on the side door of her house that night. He was leaving tomorrow afternoon and she had left him a voicemail asking for him to come over before he left. She pulled the door open and he slipped in silently. The air around them was still heavy and awkward but she was hoping to remedy that.

"Thanks for coming." She smiled softly at him and she moved across the room, trying to put some distance between them so she could think straight. "I… wanted to talk if that was okay with you."

"I guess." He sighed. She could tell he was still upset and it made her heart ache.

"I wanted to make sure that you knew my conditions." She told him coolly.

"Conditions? What are you talking about?" He asked.

"If I do this, if I move to Chicago… if _we _do this, I want to make sure that you know exactly what you're getting. I don't want you waking up one morning and regretting this so I'm telling you what I want… from us and this relationship." She half-whispered. "I need space, Noah. I hate being cramped. Sometimes I'm going to yell and sometimes I'm going to infuriate you. I don't bake. I can cook gourmet foods but I can't bake some cookies to save my life." She smiled softly.

"Rachel." Puck took a step forward but then stopped. She wasn't finished. Not even close.

"I want a family." She told him. "I'm not saying we have to start right away but I want a big family."

"Fuck, Rach, we can have ten kids if you want." He was pretty sure her laugh was the sweetest sound he had ever heard.

"I was thinking three would be quite enough." She grinned. "Sometimes my career will come first." She reminded him. "If I move to Chicago, I want to sing again. I want to at least try."

"Sounds reasonable." He slowly started to walk toward her.

"I won't be stuck in a miserable relationship again." She said. "So if either of us are feeling like that, then I want us to tell each other."

"You tell me when I'm being an asshole and I tell you when you're going bat-shit crazy. Look…" He hesitated. "I know this is going to be hard. We're going to fight and we're going to drive each other crazy but that's our thing. We'll have to work on us every day but I don't mind because I want you. I want you, Rachel, every day, forever. I want all of you." He had reached her by now and her eyes watched him closely. "All of you."

She let out a watery laugh and stepped forward, closing the space between them. Hesitantly, she leaned up and kissed him. He kissed her back, his hand tangling in her hair while the other rested on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him.

He tore himself a way from her reluctantly. "Three kids, huh?" He smirked and she nodded. "What do you say to us going upstairs and starting on the first one?"

She laughed again, a full belly laugh that had him clutching her closer just to make sure this was real. "I say we start right here. On the kitchen counter." She bit into her lip and he chuckled.

Yes, this was definitely real.

* * *

The End

A/N: Thanks for everyone that stuck with this. Sorry for the delay. Thanks for all the reviews.


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